The present application relates generally to fuel cell systems (e.g., molten carbonate or other high operating temperature fuel cell systems, etc.), and more specifically to multi-stage shift reactors for use with such fuel cell systems.
The hydrogen content of the anode exhaust gas from a fuel cell may be increased using a multi-stage shift reactor with cooling between stages. The multi-stage shift reactor cools the exhaust and increases the hydrogen content using a water-gas shift reaction to maximize hydrogen and minimize carbon monoxide (CO) in the exhaust gas.
Conventionally, each stage of a multi-stage shift reaction occur in separate vessels. However, in the present application, each stage is performed within a single reactor vessel. This arrangement reduces the space required for housing a multi-shift reactor. Further, because only the outermost vessel needs to be capable of withstanding higher pressure, production costs may also be reduced. Those reviewing the present disclosure will appreciate that these and other advantages may be obtained using the concepts disclosed herein.